


A Festo-ve Party

by AryaWinchester



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Campaign: Graduation (The Adventure Zone), Candlenights, Friendship, TAZ Candlenights Exchange, holiday party, i have no idea when this is set
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28627509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AryaWinchester/pseuds/AryaWinchester
Summary: Festo is throwing one of their famous parties, and everyone is invited
Kudos: 8
Collections: The Candlenights Zone (2020 Exchange)





	A Festo-ve Party

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Candlenights Exchange gift for @mitraki on Tumblr. Happy Candlenights! I hope I did these characters justice. You didn't say if you were ok with any ships, so there is a tiny bit of Rainer/Fitzroy but not enough to tag I don't think.

Fitzroy is excited, that much Argo can tell.

His eyes are almost glowing as he runs around the common room of their Villain Suite, grabbing misplaced rings and a pair of pointed black boots from the closet. Argo had only seen his face like this once before, right after he had summoned Snippers (though he had tried to hide it from Festo). There’s also the fact that he’s been saying how excited he is for the past week.

“I’m so excited, Argo. A real party. It’s been some time since I last went to a  _ real  _ party. Have you ever been to one?” He’s pulling on his new cloak, one of the many that came packaged from Fantasy Nordstrom a few days ago, and adjusted the hinge.

“Can’t say I have. Well, unless you count the shindig at sea where my captain almost went overboard. He had drunk so much rum-”

“Yes yes, very nice Argo,” Fitroy beams at himself in the mirror, “Now that I’m ready we can work on the Firbolg. He will take more time to dress than you.”

Master Firbolg, who sat by the window, looked up. “I...am already dressed.” He touched the bowtie he had added to his usual attire of sewn together dried leaves. “It is rather eye-catching already, don’t you think?.”

“Yes, Maroon looks wonderful on you.” Fitzroy rolls his eyes and huffs. “Argo? What are you wearing?”

Argo looks down at himself. He had already changed into a clean shirt, the sleeves loose and billowing, and his nice pants, the ones without patches. “Well, I thought I’d just wear this.”

“No! God, no, this is what you always wear!” Fitzroy disappears into his room, coming back a minute later with a deep green capelet that stops just below Argo’s elbows. “You can borrow this. The clasp, look at this,” he moves closer to Argo, showing off the silver hinge, “It’s a squid!”

“Thank you.” Argo takes the cloak, throwing it over his shoulders.

“I thought it would look magnificent with your skin tone.” He turns to the Gary in the room. “Gary, what time is it?”

“Ten minutes to 8:00.”

“Oof, we better get going.” He puts in his earrings as he walks to the door. “It’s a 15-minute walk, so if we leave now, we’ll be fashionably late.”

With that, Fitzroy leaves, followed by his two sidekicks (and best friends).

~~~

The classroom has been transformed. The space that normally held desks and uncomfortable yellow chairs now had plush chairs, end tables, and a roaring fire in an elegant fireplace. Garlands adorn the walls and a Candlenights bush sits in the middle. Candles are floating around, giving the room a warm atmosphere. Classmates and teachers of all kinds wander, chatting and laughing with each other. A small band plays joyful music in the corner.

“Welcome!” Festo flies over, their wings shimmering blue. “Happy Candlenights, friends. Festo notices you are fashionably late, yes?”

Fitzroy clears his throat, “We were running a little behind. Glad we didn’t miss too much.” He gestures to Snippers, who is floating by his shoulder and wearing a tophat. Fitzroy had a little trouble conjuring it on the way over, but he thinks it looks pretty good. “As you can see, I’m getting better at magic, thanks to a very lovely fairy.”

“Ah, snip snip! But if you think the compliments will get you extra marks, you are mistaken.” Festo raises their small champagne glass. “You three have fun. Festo has to party now!”

As they fly off, Argo claps his hand. “I hope the catering has some limes. I could do with some good fruit. Firbolg, you, uh, want to join me?”

The Firbolg grunts. “No...thank you. I will be over with Sabour.” He stays for a moment before walking over to the tortle.

Though he talks slow, thinking through each word before he says it, Fitzroy and Argo have gotten used to it. The Firbolg is grateful for that. Not everyone can be as patient as them.

Argo turns to Fitzroy, but he has disappeared, off to gossip with someone or schmooze with a teacher. That leaves Argo to himself, ready to find a lime.

~~~

“Argo,” Jackle is standing near the fire with a wine glass. Argo can tell there’s only water in it. “Enjoying the festivities and snacks?”

Through a mouthful of oranges, Argo mumbles an affirmative. He swallows and continues. “Yes, me mum would’ve loved the music. She used to have a fiddle just like that one. Didn’t play much, but she adored it all the same.”

Jackle hums. “Shebrie was a wonderful woman. Creative and headstrong.”

Argo’s eyes start to prickle with tears but he pushes them back. “I miss her every day. Made the best fish jerky as well. Did you ever try some?”

“I believe she tried to sneak some into my bag one time. Don’t know what she thought would happen, me being a master sneak even at that age, but I did enjoy the snack.” He chuckles. Argo doesn’t think he’s ever heard The Jackle laugh.

“Do...do ya have any more stories about her? She didn’t speak much about her school days.” His cheeks flush a bit. He always gets nervous asking Jackle about his mother. He knows there have to be some stories from The Unbroken Chain that he can’t ask about, but they also went to school and sailed together.

The Jackle looks around. “I suppose it is Candlenights. Let’s go sit, I’m sure I have a few more.”

Argo looks at his empty plate. “Let me grab some more food and I’ll meet you there.” He starts to leave but stops. “Do ya want me to grab you anything?”

Jackle shakes his head and Argo rushes to the food table. He knows he’s probably beaming, but hey, it’s Candlenights! And he gets to hear about his mother.

~~~

The Firbolg sits next to Sabour. They are silent, both almost statues.

“You...do not have to...spend time with me, Master Firbolg,” Sabour speaks up first. “Go and enjoy the party.”

“I am not very good with too many people.” He sighs. “I am enjoying the music though. Very...exciting.”

“Yes.” Sabour nods. “I agree. Very Festo.”

The two go silent again. Sabour opens a book he brought. The Firbolg closes his eyes and smiles. This is all he needs from a holiday party.

~~~

It’s been a could hours, Fitzroy thinks. He sees the Firbolg sitting in a chair half asleep, Argo chatting with The Jackle, Festo downing another glass of champagne (he swears they had two in their hands before, taking a sip from each interchangeably). The only person he hasn’t seen tonight is…

“Rainer!”

She smiles at him when he calls out her name. She waves, her chair maneuvering through the party guests until she’s in front of him. She has her skeleton squirrel on her shoulder, wearing a tiny hat and festive sweater. Fitzroy thinks it almost looks cute. Almost.

“Fitz, I love this cloak! Was it in that issue of your cloak magazine last week?”

Fitzroy grins. “Yes, I ordered it from Fantasy Nordstrom a few days ago. Isn’t it radiant? I love the clasp.”

Rainer laughs. “It looks very good on you. How are you enjoying the party?”

“It’s wonderful! I haven’t been to a real party in so long. I talked with people I haven’t ever seen before. The food is a little cold, but I’ll let it pass.”

A new song starts, slower this time. Fitzroy notices they’re technically on the dance floor. A few couples come up and start dancing together. “We should move out of the way.”

He follows Rainer to the side. She stops and looks up.

“Oh, mistletoe! Fitzroy, lean down.”

Fitzroy looks up too and sure enough, a little bundle of leaves are magically suspended above them. His face grows warm and is no doubt turning a shade of red that doesn’t suit him.

“Oh. I uh, don’t really feel...not that you’re not wonderful Rainer, because you are. And very pretty!” He steps back a bit. “I’m just not…”

She rolls her eyes. “Do you trust me?” He nods. “Just lean down.”

Fitzroy exhales slowly and leans down. Rainer grabs his chin, turns it to the side, and kisses his cheek.

“Happy Candlenights, you goof.”

Cheeks growing even warmer, he stands up straight and says, “Happy Candlenights to you too, Rainer. And thank you.”

She hums. “Mhm. I’m going to get some more wine. Find me again later if you get bored. I’m sure my squirrel would love to dance with you.”

She moves away, the squirrel turning around and waving to Fitzroy as she leaves. He starts to wave back, then realizes it’s the squirrel and shivers. Almost cute…

~~~

“So, what did you lads get up to?”

The three friends are walking back to their room, the party having ended a half-hour before curfew. Fitzroy has his cloak draped over his arm and Snippers is floating a little lower than usual.

“Heard stories about me mum,” Argo says through a yawn. “She was a wonderful woman. She once took out a blue-ringed octopus that was trying to get Jackle all by herself. Those are deadly, ya know.”

“Mmm, lovely.” Fitzroy is half-listening. “Firbolg? Anything exciting?”

“Sabour told me about a book he’s reading. It’s about a pegasus. I am going to borrow it after he is finished.”

The halls are silent except for the three boys.

“What about you, Fitz?” Argo bumps their shoulders together. “Saw you with Ranier.”

Fitzroy blushes again. “I just had a wonderful Candlenights.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This was my first time writing a Graduation fic. I hope you enjoyed it.  
> Read, Write, Love


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